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Ken Burgess, owner of Burgess Boys Pet Care, on Central Parade, says many of his customers have been hit hard by the crash.

He said: "We know the people [who have been affected by the crash] and they are our customers. It is tragic. You will probably find virtually everyone in New Addington has been touched by somebody that has been in that tram.

"I was actually with a lady on a training course that day and her husband was on that tram.

"It has affected and hit everybody in New Addington. We are a very close-knit community here and you get to know the people who live in the area.

"We all know that bend and we even know the drivers and some people that work on the trams. Everybody is affected by it."

Ken Burgess says the estate has been hit hard by this week's tragedy (Image: Croydon Advertiser)

Mr Burgess, who is also chairman of Central Parade Business Partnership, has been part of the community for 38 years and is still coming to terms with the tragedy.

He also revealed that he found out that a recent customer who only bought a pet a few weeks ago was involved in the crash and has since passed away.

Mr Burgess did not want to reveal the victim's name.

He said: "It is difficult to put into words how we feel. It is slowly sinking in what has happened, so it is going to be with us for quite some time I believe.

"It is very personal. I have been up here for 38 years serving the community so I watch people grow up from babies through to adulthood.

"When a person passes away we notice and we feel it. For somebody to go in such circumstances is tragic."

New Addington councillor Oliver Lewis told the Advertiser that plentiful support is being offered by community groups and welfare centres.

He said: "It is, of course, important that we pull together at times like this and support those affected by this week's tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with those grieving and struggling to come to terms with events.

"I have been pleased to see the response so far from community groups in New Addington.

"The council has set up welfare centres and phone lines, and as councillors for the estate we will hold an additional surgery on Saturday for anyone who wants to discuss this tragedy or anything else. We will all do what we can to wrap those who need it in love and support."

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Julie Bales, a staff member at Meat Express in Central Parade, described the sombre atmosphere that unsurprisingly hangs over the estate at present.

Ms Bales, 61, said: "Everyone's in shock. It's so hard to get your head around. It's a close-knit community up here, very close knit.

"I think the mood will be solemn up here over the next few days. I think everybody wants answers, this is the problem."

Mick Watts, who has lived in New Addington for 61 years, explained that it has had a "big impact on the community".

Mick Watts has lived in New Addington for 61 years (Image: Samantha Booth)

Mr Watts, who knows somebody whose husband is at St George's Hospital receiving treatment, said: "It's just so sad. New Addington is New Addington, it's a close community and it always has been.

"It's taken a big impact on the community. I expect there will be more news over the coming days about people from the area."

Mr Watts, who organises the Christmas lights on Central Parade, said a minute's silence will be held when they are switched on, on Saturday, November 26.

Susana Gaiao, who lives on Applegarth, in New Addington was personally affected by the tram crash as her husband, Rui de Sá, was hospitalised as a result of the crash.

He was sent to St George's Hospital, in Tooting, with an injured shoulder along with back and neck pain and muscle strain but Mrs Gaiao feels that the survivors of the crash can help each other, given how "very close" everyone in the local community is.

She said: "It is very important that everyone supports each other. New Addington is a very close community and everyone has always supported each other in the past as I am sure they will do now.

"We are able to reach out our support across the whole borough to those affected as shown by the St Edward's Church who will open their doors on Saturday for anyone affected by the events of [Wednesday].

"Addington community centre and the Salvation Army have opened up their doors to anyone in need of help to deal with what happened, this among other things is what needs to be put in place to help all those involved heal from their pain."

That pain is not going to go away.

But what we can be sure of is that relatives of victims, survivors and anyone else left devastated by this week's events will be able to rely on the fact that everyone in New Addington will do whatever they can to try and make that pain just a little more bearable.